Sunday, June 19, 2011

06/19/2011
Transparency was Noynoy’s litany when he was seeking the public’s vote for the presidency; a promise which now appears to be an ordeal as he, through his Palace mouthpieces, have rejected proposals in the House to probe those who are classified within the so-called KKKs (Kaibigan, Kaklase and Kabarilan), or presidential cronies, classmates and shooting range buddies.

The Palace’s rejection of course reverberated among the House of Representatives’ allies of Noynoy and the proposed probe, by all indications, will not likely prosper.

But why is his ally, Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada, already concluding that the President is the focus of the probe, when the probe has not even started. And why, if there is nothing to fear about their claimed “honest” and “transparent” President who they claim rules without fear and favor, are these Noynoy allies fearing such a probe, to the point of already covering up for him and his aides?

Noynoy, however, is making the same mistake that made the past administration one of the most unpopular ever..... MORE

06/19/2011
It certainly looks like the spirit of vindictiveness in Noynoy lives on and strongly.

The latest word on the Marcos burial issue is that Noynoy is not even bent on giving Marcos military honors, as Vice President Jojo Binay had recommended, after conducting an exhaustive survey among various sectors of society and coming up with what can be called a “win-win” solution: Burial in Ilocos, and military honors of Ferdinand Marcos.

But even the military honors will be denied Marcos, although instead of owning to the fact that it is Noynoy himself who does not want it at all, he is using as his excuse the so-called victims of martial law who oppose it. He also uses another excuse, which is that Marcos may have already been given military honors when his remains were brought home for his burial in a refrigirated crypt in Ilocos.

But definitely, it is still his and his family’s vindictiveness that has kept him from giving Marcos the military honors..... MORE

06/19/2011
MADRID — More than 35 years after the death of Francisco Franco, Spain’s government is mulling whether to move the dictator’s remains from the vast mausoleum he had built with forced labor.

The Valley of the Fallen, an underground tomb complex outside Madrid where he is buried, was constructed on Franco’s orders between 1940 and 1958.

As well as Franco’s own remains, historians estimate the mass graves contain those of between 40,000 and 60,000 of his supporters and the Republicans who opposed them in Spain’s 1936-39 Civil War, which ended with Franco in power.

But for many Spaniards, the memorial site — carved into the side of a mountain in part through the forced labor of thousands of political prisoners — is their country’s most divisive and potent reminder of the Franco era..... MORE

06/19/2011
Any person who participates in any illegal numbers game shall suffer the following penalties:
a) The penalty of imprisonment from 30 days to 90 days, if such a person acts as a bettor.

b) The penalty of imprisonment from six years and one day to eight years, if such a person acts as a personnel or staff of an illegal numbers game operation. The same penalty shall likewise be imposed to any person who allows his vehicle, house, building or land to be used in the operation of illegal numbers game.

c) The penalty of imprisonment for eight years and one day to 10 years, if such a person acts as a collector or agent.

d) The penalty of imprisonment from 10 years and one day to 12 years, if such a person acts as coordinator, controller or supervisor..... MORE

06/19/2011
LONDON — Syrian opposition figures living abroad are seeking to form a common front with activists inside the country to help put pressure on President Bashar al-Assad’s crisis-hit regime.
As Syrian security forces crack down with deadly force on anti-regime protests, opposition activists have met in Turkey and Brussels, shared a platform in London, will visit Moscow and plan a major conference in the US.

But the regime opponents abroad have a tough job ahead of them, both in linking up with anti-regime activists in Syria and in building their own unified resistance.

“It is unfair to expect us to have a unified opposition” following years of oppressive rule, says Najib Ghadbian, a Middle East expert at Arkansas University in the United States.... MORE

06/19/2011
CHONGQING — Hu Xinglian kneels before the corpse of Liang Zhicai and, with one hand on his metal coffin, lets out a piercing wail. But Hu is not at all grief-stricken — she is a professional mourner.

In parts of China, where rural pre-burial rituals are still observed, mourners known as “kusangren” are hired to guarantee that a funeral is a spectacle in grief. And the 53-year-old Hu is up to the task.

She comes to work with a full sound-system, multi-colour spotlights and the six members of her band, “The Orchestra of the Star and River of Chongqing.”

Her job offers a study in contrasts between modern living and tradition in the southwestern province-sized municipality, home to more than 30 million people and a symbol of the rapid urbanization seen across China..... MORE

06/19/2011
Every administration has its own versions of “K.” Even the sainted Tita Cory had her “Kamag-anak Inc.” Anybody who gets nailed in Malacañang, especially to the highest post of the land would be the most insecure person in the world even if hundreds of PSG’s and the top intellectuals from UP, Harvard and corporate halls, all at a whispering distance would cordon him closely. He needs a coterie of trusted and loyal friends who would shoo away possible darts that may pinch deeply on himself in order to feign stability and complacency in his incumbency.

Sadly, the first presumption of these rah-rah cheerers is really similar to what they usually teach the applicant secretaries, namely, that their boss is so stupid and clueless that he depends entirely on his secretary for everything from documents, appointments, files to wardrobes, medication, toiletries, but most importantly their loyalty and confidentiality. Utmost fidelity to the person or being a “K” is the absolute qualification therefore..... MORE

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 06/19/2011
The Palace branded as a troublemaker the source of the recent expose of The Tribune who divulged that the resignation of former Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose “Ping” de Jesus was the result of a bitter argument between him and President Aquino over the fate of Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief and Aquino shooting buddy Virginia Torres who Aquino insisted on retaining.

Unnamed sources at the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) speaking to media with respect to the lingering issues confronting the agency are just trying to cause some trouble for the government, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said.

Malacañang issued the statement yesterday as it said it remained clueless on a supposed memorandum written by De Jesus on April 6, asking Aquino to impose disciplinary actions on Torres..... MORE

06/19/2011
Sen. Ferdinand “Bong-bong” Marcos Jr. has renewed his proposal to change the date of the national holiday commemorating the life and works of Jose Rizal from Dec. 30 to June 19, his birth anniversary.

“It is fitting then that Filipinos commemorate Rizal Day on June 19 as a day of triumph of his nationalism and patriotic ideals,” he said, mindful that Dec. 30 is an official national holiday that commemorates a hero’s death.

“The birthday of our national hero should always be a day of celebration of his life and of his great contribution to the country’s independence from foreign domination,” he added..... MORE

By Mario J. Mallari 06/19/2011
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) has alerted all its regional units throughout the country as part of the preparations for tropical depression “Egay” as it continues to aim for the ambitious “zero casualty” during such calamity.

NDRRMC executive director Undersecretary Benito Ramos’ directive to all regional DRRMCs from Regions I to XII, the National Capital Region (NCR), the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Caraga is to closely monitor situation in their respective jurisdiction.

“You are hereby directed to monitor the situation and undertake precautionary measures in your area of responsibility. Likewise, the public and the DRRMCs are advised to take appropriate actions,” Ramos said.
“Let us untiringly aim for zero casualty,” Ramos added..... MORE

06/19/2011
An environmental network has lauded Dr. Jose Rizal as ‘hero for the environment” as the nation celebrates the 150th year of his birthday today.

In a statement, the EcoWaste Coalition, an environmental network of over 125 public interest groups, honored Rizal for his deep concern and love for Mother Earth and her people.

“We pay homage to our national hero Jose Rizal for his keen devotion to improving community health and environment long before the Constitution formally committed to promoting and protecting the health and environmental rights of the people,” said Roy Alvarez, EcoWaste Coalition president..... MORE

By Arlie O. Calalo 06/19/2011
Local authorities in Caloocan City have intensified the campaign against vices that come along with smoking following the arrest of 20 persons who were caught drinking liquor either outside their houses or right in the streets.

On orders of the local government, city police chief Senior Supt. Jude Wilson Santos directed all police sub-stations and police community precincts (PCPs) to carry out Ordinance 0937, which was passed in 2005, by apprehending those who violate it.

During the initial salvo, police operations yielded more than 20 persons who were caught drinking either outside their residences or in the streets and sidewalks, Santos said..... MORE

06/19/2011
A large group of “fish brokers” in the coastal city of Navotas have sought the help of Camanava Press over their collapsing business in spite of the latest announcement of the Department of Agriculture that fish kill is over.

The members of the Navotas Fish Traders Association led by their vice president, Boy Charing, went to the office of the local media and sought their assistance to inform the public, including those fish traders who buy fish in large volume at the consignacion markets in the city which they sell in most markets in Metro Manila and nearby provinces like Bulacan..... MORE